Postgraduate Research Handbook 2017/18...Postgraduate research handbook 2017-18 6 Correct at time of printing: September 2017 FIRST AID First Aid notices listing the School’s trained

School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies

Postgraduate Research Handbook 2017/18

School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies

SPAIS POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH HANDBOOK

2017 - 2018

CONTENTS

WELCOME 4

KEY DATES 5

TEACHING BLOCKS 5

VACATION DATES 5

FIRE SAFETY 5

FIRST AID 6

EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 6

YOUR SCHOOL 8

INTRODUCTION 8 KEY POINTS FOR STUDENTS 8 RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT 8 COMMUNICATION 8 POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENT/STAFF LIAISON COMMITTEE 9 VACATIONS 10 DISABILITY INFORMATION 10 SCHOOL ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR PGR STUDENTS. 11 MAP OF OFFICE AND TEACHING ROOMS 11

RESEARCH RESOURCES 11 POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH BUDGET 12 RESEARCH SEMINARS AND LECTURES 12 SOUTH WEST DOCTORAL TRAINING PARTNERSHIP 13 SOUTH WEST RESEARCH COOPERATIVE 13

SUPERVISION 15

MEETING WITH YOUR SUPERVISORS 15 GOOD PRACTICE FOR RESEARCH STUDENTS AND SUPERVISORS 16 RESEARCH STUDENTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES 16 SUPERVISORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES 17 ARRANGEMENTS FOR PRINCIPAL AND SECONDARY SUPERVISION 18 PUBLISHING WITH SUPERVISOR/S 19

RESEARCH TRAINING 22

Postgraduate research handbook 2017-18

2 Correct at time of printing: September 2017

RESEARCH METHODS SCHEDULE 22 RESEARCH MISCONDUCT AND PLAGIARISM 23 SKILLS TRAINING AND REVIEW (STAR) 23 PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 23

PROGRESS AND MONITORING 26

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS 26 TIER 4 VISA HOLDING STUDENTS – ENGAGEMENT MONITORING AND RESPONSIBILITIES 26 ANNUAL REGISTRATION 27 FACULTY ANNUAL PROGRESS MONITORING (APM) REPORTS 27 PROGRESSION REVIEW PANEL 28

A. THE TIMING OF THE PROGRESSION REVIEW PANEL 28 B. PREPARING THE PROGRESSION REVIEW PANEL MATERIALS 28 C. THE PROGRESSION REVIEW PANEL 29 D. THE PROGRESSION REVIEW PANEL MEETING 30 E. REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTINUED REGISTRATION 30 F. PROGRESSION REVIEW PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS 30

ENHANCED ACADEMIC SUPPORT 31 PERIODS OF STUDY 31 SUSPENSION OF STUDIES 31

EXTENSION OF SUBMISSION DATE 32

TEACHING 35

TEACHING OPTIONS 35 APPLYING TO TEACH 35 TEACHING TRAINING 35 TEACHING EVALUATION 36

THESIS SUBMISSION AND EXAMINATION GUIDELINES 38

THE EXAMINERS 38 APPOINTMENT OF RESEARCH DEGREE EXAMINERS 38 SUBMITTING THE THESIS 39 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION 39 LIBRARY ACCESS 40 MOCK VIVA VOCE 40 VIVA VOCE EXAMINATION 40 SUPERVISOR’S PRESENCE AT ORAL EXAMINATIONS 40

PREPARATION FOR RE-PRESENTATION 41 PRESENTATION OF THE SUCCESSFUL THESIS 41 THESIS DEPOSIT AGREEMENT 41 GRADUATION CEREMONY 41 APPEALS 41 HILARY HARTLEY PHD THESIS PRIZE 41

INFORMATION FOR LEAVERS 43

APPLYING FOR HONORARY RESEARCH ASSOCIATE STATUS 43



EMAIL 43 CAREERS SERVICE 43 TIER 4 DOCTORATE EXTENSION SCHEME 43 ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS: 43 ALUMNI OFFICE 44

SUPPORT FACILITIES 46

ACCOMMODATION OFFICE 46 BRISTOL DOCTORAL COLLEGE (BDC) 46 CAREERS ADVISORY SERVICE 46 CENTRE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND FOUNDATION STUDIES 47 DISABILITY SERVICES 47 HEALTH AND WELLBEING 48 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 48 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA ADVICE AND COMPLIANCE 48

JUST ASK CENTRE (UBU ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION) 48 MULTIFAITH CHAPLAINCY 49 SCHOOL SOCIETIES 49 SECURITY SERVICES 49 STAFF COUNSELLING SERVICE – ACCEPTABLE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOUR 49 STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE 50 STUDENT FUNDING OFFICE 50 STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE 50 UNIVERSITY DAY NURSERY 51 UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL STUDENTS’ UNION 51 THE NETWORK OF SUPPORT FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS 52

APPENDIX A: MAP AND TEACHING ROOMS 54

ROOMS IN 4 PRIORY ROAD 54 ROOMS IN 11 PRIORY ROAD 54 ROOMS IN 10 PRIORY ROAD 54 ROOMS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES BLOCK: 54 MAP OF PRECINCT 55



WELCOME

The School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS) is an interdisciplinary scholarly environment producing leading research which is international in its focus and relevant to the changing circumstances of our increasingly interconnected world. We are committed to rigorous conceptual and empirical research that is politically and socially relevant and problem oriented. We aim to advance theory, knowledge and methods at the interface between the disciplines of sociology, politics and international studies. Our aim is not just to monitor the global condition but to contribute to advancing ways that might improve it.

Postgraduate study is a key part of this scholarly environment. We have a thriving postgraduate culture, and continually seek to maintain our strong reputation for producing high quality work in our PhD programmes. The School is committed to academic excellence, rigorous, independent research and intellectual diversity, and to providing graduate teaching and supervision of the highest standard to a diverse international student body.

In teaching provision the School aims to provide a stimulating environment, enriched by our research culture, which fosters student choice and self-development. Our research excellence is demonstrated through publications and contributions to international scholarly debates. As a result, our postgraduates are taught and supervised by leading scholars and research-active staff, with whom there are numerous opportunities for discussion, in seminars as well as informally. SPAIS research informs our curriculum in two ways. First, all postgraduate units are designed and validated by our lecturers who share their knowledge through the design of the academic content of units. Second, staff who teach you will be passionate about their subject. They will have generated new knowledge about an issue and many have shaped their academic fields of interest. Through active engagement in key debates they will therefore be able to offer additional insights into the issues you will be learning about.

As a School, we are embarking on a new and exciting phase of development, with ever-increasing intellectual exchange between staff and students in the fields of sociology, politics and international studies. We warmly invite you to join, and contribute to, this vibrant atmosphere of achievement and collectivity.

Professor Michelle Cini (Head of School)



KEY DATES

Teaching Blocks

Introductory Week (week zero): 18 - 22 September 2017

Teaching Block 1: 25 September - 15 December 2017

January Assessment Period: 8 - 19 January 2018

Teaching Block 2: 22 January - 4 May 2018

Summer Assessment Period: 14 May - 1 June 2018

Vacation Dates

Christmas Vacation: 18 December 2017 - 5 January 2018

Easter Vacation: 26 March - 13 April 2018

University closure dates can be found at www.bristol.ac.uk/university/dates/

FIRE SAFETY

Fire action notices are displayed in all buildings.

Action to be taken on hearing the fire alarm:

♦ Leave the building by the nearest available fire escape route but do not use any lifts.

♦ DO NOT delay your escape, but if you can turn off equipment and close doors and windows as you leave then do so.

♦ Encourage others to leave.

♦ Go to the assembly area and await instruction.

To prevent fire and smoke spreading through the building staff and students should keep fire doors closed and never leave them propped open.

To enable everyone to leave the building safely and quickly staff and students should:

♦ keep escape routes and fire exits clear and free from obstruction.

♦ comply with fire drills – always leave the building when you hear the alarm.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) are created for students with disabilities. This includes temporary disabilities, e.g. injuries. Please contact the School Disability Coordinator, David Brown (0117) 331 7590 for further information.



FIRST AID

First Aid notices listing the School’s trained first aiders and the location of the First Aid box is displayed in all School buildings.

♦ All accidents and incidents must be reported to a member of School staff.

♦ Risk assessments for students conducting research outside University premises are carried out by their personal tutor/supervisor, in liaison with the School’s Research Ethics Committee. Guidance is available from the Research Ethics Coordinator.

EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The Department, School, and Faculty are all committed to enhancing and promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). UNESCO defines ESD in a broad manner covering four main areas: social and economic justice, cultural diversity, human rights of future generations and the protection and restoration of the Earth's ecosystems. It also stresses the importance of critical thinking, inter-disciplinary, multi-method approaches to assessment and challenging approaches to, and ideas about, teaching and learning. You will encounter many of these issues and approaches both directly and indirectly during the course of your studies and we encourage you to think creatively and critically about how your own subject addresses some or all of the following:

Wiki site: https://wikis.bris.ac.uk/display/BristolESD/ESD+at+Bristol

♦ A strong, stable and viable economy

♦ A healthy and just society

♦ Diversity

♦ Effective and participative governance

♦ Environmental limits and ecological wellbeing

♦ Quality of life

♦ Cultural heritage

♦ The rural and the urban (conflict and balance)

♦ Preparing for the imagined future

♦ Ethical questions



1

Your School

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Key points for students

1.3. Research environment

1.4. Communication

1.5. Postgraduate research student/staff committee

1.6. Vacations

1.7. Disability information

1.8. School organisational structure for PGR students.

1.9. Map of office and teaching rooms

1.10. Research resources

1.11. Postgraduate research budget

1.12 Research seminars and lectures

1.13 South West Doctoral Training Partnership

1.14 South West Research Cooperative



YOUR SCHOOL

Introduction

This handbook provides information about the postgraduate research programmes offered by the School for Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS). The regulations and procedures outlined in this handbook apply to all MPhil and PhD students in SPAIS for the 2017/18 year and do not commit the University in respect of subsequent sessions.

It is essential that you read this handbook carefully each year to understand various policies and procedures that govern your studies here at the University of Bristol. We have included relevant web links to important sources of information.

This document should be read in conjunction with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law ‘Postgraduate Student Handbook’, which can be found at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/fssl/current-students/fssl-postgraduates/index.html, and with the University ‘Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Postgraduate Programmes, which can be found at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/pg/cop-research-degrees.html.

Key points for students

♦ Read your email: Staff will always use your University of Bristol email account as the main form of communication with students. If you prefer to use another account, please make sure that you forward messages from your Bristol account to your preferred email address. More information about the University email system can be found on the following website:

http://www.bris.ac.uk/it-services/applications/collaboration/

♦ Familiarise yourself with Blackboard, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment. https://www.ole.bris.ac.uk

♦ Record any change of address and/or phone number on Student Info https://www.bris.ac.uk/studentinfo/

Research environment

The School’s research activity is guided by a focus on key themes: Critical security; Ethnicity, migration and citizenship; Europe and Europeanization; Gender; Political and social inequalities; Social, cultural and political theory; and South and East Asia. All researchers across the school cluster around one or more of the themes. Some research themes host research infrastructures, including centres, networks, seminar series, workshops and reading groups.

MPhil and PhD students have access to over 50 members of staff who are active and experienced researchers. The graduate programme attracts students from a wide range of academic backgrounds and nationalities, from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. About 80-100 MPhil and PhD students are registered in any year. Many of our students have been able to obtain ESRC and University of Bristol scholarships. The School has trained many successful academics, researchers and professionals over the years.

Communication



The main points of contact for the MPhil and PhD programme are the academic PGR Director and the Postgraduate Student Administrator (Research). General enquiries relating to the programme should initially be directed to the Postgraduate Student Administrator.

♦ Director postgraduate research programmes:

Professor Jutta Weldes Room G.04, 10 Priory Road Email: [email protected]

♦ Postgraduate student administrator (research):

Amber Cropp Room G.01, 11 Priory Road Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0117 33 17572 (office hours Monday - Friday 09:00-17.00)

♦ Staff contact details

An up to date contact directory of all academic and administrative staff within SPAIS can be found here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/spais/people/. There is also a directory of all research students; individuals are responsible for updating their own profiles.

♦ “Postgraduate research administration” site on Blackboard

The School uses the online learning environment ‘Blackboard’ as its main source of student support and information. You will automatically be enrolled onto the ‘SPAIS Postgraduate Research Administration’ site once you are registered. Should you be undertaking any taught units you will also need to make sure you are registered on the relevant PGT sites. Please take some time to familiarise yourself with the various folders, which include: links to the relevant University regulations and guidelines; forms relating to progress issues; flowcharts about the various processes (e.g. Progression Review, thesis submission); information about support and career development. The site can be accessed here: https://www.ole.bris.ac.uk/ .

♦ Email list

The School maintains one email list for research postgraduate students: [email protected]. The purpose of this list is to provide a combined academic and social forum. Academic and administrative staff communicate programme-related information to MPhil and PhD research students in the School via the list. All research students are automatically put on this list and are kept on it for as long as they are a student in the School. All academic and administrative staff and research students can post to this list. Only research students within the School and the PGR Student Administrator receive emails posted to it. The university's general regulations on responsible use of computing services apply to this list.

Postgraduate research student/staff liaison committee

This Committee meets once per term and is designed to address general problems relating to research programmes, i.e. resource provision, unit choice, and administrative procedure. It consists of a combination of MPhil and PhD representatives (for each year of study), 1



part-time study representative, 1 international representative, 1 Seminar Tutor representative, along with the PGR Student Administrator and the PGR Director as Chair. Your representative will ask you for any points of concern before each scheduled meeting. If you identify something requiring urgent attention between meetings then you can see the PGR Student Administrator or the PGR Director to raise your concerns. This Committee is not intended to address individuals’ concerns; these can be dealt with on a personal basis with your supervisor/s or the PGR Director.

The Faculty Student-Staff Liaison Committee (FSSLC) meets three times a year and has two student representatives from each School on it’s membership.

Vacations

Postgraduate Research Students are entitled to twenty-five days holiday a year, in addition to days when the University is closed.

Disability information

The School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies is committed to fostering a positive scholastic and social environment in which deaf and disabled students are able to participate fully and realize their academic potential. To this end the School works closely with the University's Disability Services to meet the individual students' particular requirements. Learning and assessment accommodations are developed and implemented in conjunction with the student and Disability Services on an individual basis.

Potential applicants and new students are strongly encouraged to contact the University of Bristol's Disability Services to discuss how individual needs can be met. In addition, in order to ensure that we can best support the learning experience of each student, we urge individuals with personal situations that may impact on their ability to participate in classes, and/or meet course requirements and deadlines, to contact the PGR Director at the earliest possible opportunity. The School may not automatically be aware of any medical or personal circumstances of incoming students and appreciate students' attempts to keep us informed.

More information about Disability Services can be accessed here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/disability-services/



School organisational structure for PGR students.

Map of office and teaching rooms

A list of teaching rooms commonly used by the School, and a map, is provided in Appendix A. Precinct maps are available here: http://www.bris.ac.uk/maps/.

Research resources

Research students are accommodated in shared offices in 10 Priory Road and 3 Priory Road with a system of allocated shelving. Desks and PC’s operate with a hot desking system and should be left free of personal belongings. There is a small office in 4 Priory Road with allocated desks specifically for those in their writing up year. Please check the “Working in SPAIS” section of the SPAIS PGR administration Blackboard site for more detailed information. 24 hour access to the buildings can be granted; please request this from the PGR student administrator and be sure to learn the alarm codes and read through any relevant security information. Students will be expected to clear any belongings from offices and return office/locker keys shortly after submission.

The rooms are equipped with networked computers and printers, giving all students access to email, computing and the Internet. A Faculty team provides technical computing support and should be accessed through the University’s IT Services. Students’ rooms have external telephone lines. Scanning and photocopying facilities are available in 10 and 11 Priory Road,

Head of School

Director of

Teaching and

Learning

Director of PGR

programmes

School Manager

Student

Administration

Manager

Graduate

Administration

Manager

Postgraduate Student

Administrator

(Research)

Senior Executive

Assistant

Executive Assistant



shared by staff and students. The School is a five minute walk from the main Arts and Social Sciences Library, where students have access to the help of specialist librarians as well as the resources of the library itself. Inter-library loans can be requested through the library web pages. A wide range of IT courses on various aspects of word-processing, database management and software applications are available from the University Computing Centre.

Postgraduate research budget

The School provides an annual research budget allocation for SPAIS registered MPhil and PhD students. Students may apply for a maximum of £250 for research-related expenses from this budget for up to three years out of their maximum of four years (receipts required). The School also provides a maximum of £350 towards fieldwork expenses once in the student’s three-year registration (usually in the second year). Claims for this field-work funding require the support of the student’s supervisor. Both forms of funding are allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Part-time students can apply for up to 50% of the allocation for full-time students.

Please note that students who receive research funding (e.g., ESRC studentships) that includes a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) or fieldwork funding are not eligible to claim these funds and should refer to their funding guidelines for instructions on how to claim from their RTSG or for fieldwork expenses.

To claim School funds students should complete an expenses claim form and submit this with their receipts to the School Manager. The link to the form and detailed information on how to complete expenses are available on the PGR SPAIS Administration course on Blackboard.

The start-date for applications for each financial year is 1st August, the deadline 30th June. There are no deadlines within this period, though please be aware that applications made late in the financial year may not be successful if the annual budget has been exhausted. Please note that funds are often available from conference organisers, from academic associations and also there is some funding available from the University of Bristol Alumni Foundation (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alumni/students/) or RED (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/red/development/opportunities/funding-for/).

Research seminars and lectures

The School hosts regular seminar series, reading groups and lectures, all of which research students are encouraged to attend. These include:

♦ Research Seminars: these reflect the major areas of on-going research in the School. The seminars meet regularly and provide a forum where members of staff and research students can discuss research issues of mutual interest. Some of these research seminars are associated with the School’s research centres: the Ethnicity and Citizenship Centre, the Gender Research Centre, and the Global Insecurities Centre.

♦ Research student seminars: these events are organised by research students themselves, offering students an opportunity to present papers on their research in progress to their peers.



♦ Reading Groups: The school also hosts various reading groups organised by Centres, by staff and by post-graduate students. These groups change to reflect the research interests of students and staff.

♦ Public lectures: the School and the Centres host lectures by academics and public figures throughout the year.

These events provide a forum where members of staff and research students can discuss research issues of mutual interest, as well as encouraging collaborative research ventures. They also provide access to contemporary, cutting-edge research. All events are circulated on the spais-grad email list and advertised on the School’s webpages.

The large School Common Room on the lower ground floor of 10 Priory Road (LG4) is regularly used as a more informal discussion venue by staff and postgraduate students.

South West Doctoral Training Partnership

The South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) is accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to provide postgraduate research training in the social sciences. It includes the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Bath and as of 2017/18 will also include the University of the West of England (UWE) and Plymouth University. The Partnership draws together the established research excellence of around 800 academic and research staff at the five institutions and is part of a national network that is training a new generation of Social Sciences. For more information, visit the SWDTP website at www.swdtp.ac.uk

South West Research Cooperative

The SWRC is a student led venture that gives PhD students from all SWDTP institutions support to develop collaborations with small charities and social enterprise groups and apply for up to five days of funds in support of this.

For more information email [email protected] or see the webpage http://www.swdtp.ac.uk/student-inititatives/student-research-co-op



2

Supervision

2.1. Allocation of supervisors

2.2. Meeting with your supervisors

2.3. Good practice for research students and supervisors

2.4. Research students’ responsibilities

2.5. Supervisors’ responsibilities

2.6. Arrangements for principal and secondary supervision

2.7. Publishing with supervisor/s



SUPERVISION

Allocation of supervisors

Research students are allocated two supervisors. This may be under a co-supervision model where supervisors have shared responsibilities, or it may be organised according to a principal and secondary arrangement. Having two supervisors provides students with broader intellectual input and support, and ensures continuity of supervision during periods of staff absence for illness or maternity/paternity leave.

Allocation of supervisors is overseen by the academic PGR Director on the basis of subject specialisation among members of staff. Members of the academic staff are expected to maintain their supervisory role when on research leave when this is practicable, and this is assisted by the increased use of email or Skype. If you are unhappy with your supervision in any way, you should first discuss this with your supervisors and/or the PGR Director. If your supervisor is the PGR Director, you can talk to the Head of School. The PGR Director has a general responsibility for all research students, which includes ensuring that satisfactory arrangements are made to support students if they encounter problems with their supervisor(s) and/or supervision.

If you wish to change your supervisor, you should have reasonable grounds. In many cases, it may be sensible to discuss this informally with your current and future supervisor(s). Changes of supervisor are expected to be amicable, smooth and unproblematic. You must discuss this change with the PGR Director. Once a change of supervisor has been agreed, the PGR Student Administrator will need to be informed so that your University records can be updated.

Meeting with your supervisors

Students are responsible for ensuring that supervisory meetings are scheduled. Supervisory meetings normally take place once a month, if you are full-time and every other month if you are part-time. It is sometimes appropriate to meet more often (e.g., when preparing for Progression or thesis submission) or less often (e.g., when on extended fieldwork); details of supervisory meetings and their frequency are negotiated between students and supervisors. Your supervisors should be available for two meetings during the summer vacation. Meetings are generally face-to-face, but can occasionally and if necessary (e.g., while on fieldwork) take place by email or via Skype. You have the right to see your supervisor(s) regularly and to have material read and commented on promptly. Similarly, you should make sure that you are easy to contact and that you submit written work well in advance of meetings so that supervisors have adequate time to read and comment on it. You should take informal minutes of your supervision meetings and send copies to your supervisors.

Supervisory meetings are also important because they allow the School to monitor student progress in order to ensure that students are making satisfactory academic and receiving adequate support, as well as to enable the Faculty to fulfil its obligations in accurately reporting student statistics to statutory bodies (e.g. HEFCE, ESRC, etc.)

These meetings will also be recorded by supervisors and used as a point of contact for Tier 4 students. Students who are sponsored by the University of Bristol under the “Confirmation

of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)” scheme of Tier 4 (General) of the Points-Based System (PBS) for immigration must have their engagement monitored regularly. The University of Bristol requires monthly checks on engagement to satisfy this requirement throughout the



year. This includes the summer period (excluding August). April is also a vacation period and does not require monitoring. These should be face to face contact points, unless the student is on research leave. Further information about Tier 4 student compliance can be found here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/academicregistry/office/policies/pbs and also in section 4.3 of this Handbook.

Good practice for research students and supervisors

The following sections are informed by the University Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes, for the full guidelines please refer to both Section 5 “Supervision” and Annex 12 “Supporting research students: A guide for supervisors”: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/academic-quality/pg/pgrcode/

Research students’ responsibilities

The responsibilities of the student include:

♦ to agree with the supervisors a suitable topic for research and to work on that topic;

♦ to agree with the supervisors a schedule of meetings and to attend such meetings and inform the supervisors how they can be contacted;

♦ to produce work in accordance with a schedule agreed with the supervisor, including in particular the submission of written material in sufficient time to allow adequate comment and discussion before proceeding to the next stage of the research programme;

♦ to be prepared to take the initiative in raising problems or difficulties, however elementary they may seem;

♦ to attend such formal instruction as required;

♦ to familiarise themselves with the regulations for the appropriate degree and with instructions and guidelines issued by the University, Faculty and School;

♦ in the event of the student being dissatisfied with any aspect of the supervisory or other arrangements, to discuss such dissatisfaction with the PGR Director at the earliest possible opportunity, and in any event during the period of registration and before submitting a thesis. In the event of such discussions not producing a satisfactory outcome, the student should submit a formal written statement to the Faculty's Graduate Dean, before the end of period of registration, outlining the reasons for their dissatisfaction;

♦ to provide a written progress report when requested to do so;

♦ to discuss with the supervisors the preparation of the thesis and to decide when it is ready for submission after taking due account of advice from the supervisors;

♦ to submit a thesis within the time allowed by the regulations.



♦ Students should note that they are responsible for their work and that the role of the supervisors is to provide guidance and advice.

Supervisors’ responsibilities

The responsibilities of the supervisor include:

♦ to give guidance about the nature of the research and the standard to be expected; to advise about the planning of the research programme and about relevant literature and sources; to direct the student to attend taught courses whenever necessary; to encourage students to acquire and maintain familiarity with relevant developments in the subject; to give advice about requisite techniques and arrange for instruction where necessary; and if necessary advise the student that they should undertake instruction in written and/or spoken English;

♦ to maintain contact through regular supervisory sessions and seminars in accordance with School policy and with arrangements previously agreed with the student;

♦ to be accessible to the student at other appropriate and reasonable times when advice may be needed;

♦ in the event of being granted leave , propose adequate arrangements for supervision of the student;

♦ to give detailed advice on the necessary completion dates of successive stages of the work so that the whole may be submitted within the scheduled time;

♦ to request written work as appropriate, and to return such work with constructive criticism and in reasonable time;

♦ to encourage, as appropriate, the student to talk about their work to staff or graduate seminars or to attend or speak at meetings or conferences and provide encouragement and advice with regard to possible publication of their work;

♦ to ensure that the student is made aware of inadequacy of progress or of standards of work below that expected and to initiate the Enhanced Academic Support process where required;

♦ to advise the PGR Director and the student if, in their opinion, there is significant likelihood of the student failing the degree for which they wish to submit;

♦ to submit annual progress reports to the Faculty (via STAR) after due discussion with the student;

♦ to advise the student upon the appropriateness and preparation for Progression Review; and to ensure that School procedures for Progression have been followed;

♦ to offer advice to the student concerning their career and professional development and, in anticipation of graduation, encourage them in their search for employment as outlined in Annex 10 “The Personal and Professional Development Policy for



Research Students” of the PGR Code of Practice http://www.bristol.ac.uk/academic-quality/pg/pgrcode/annex10/

♦ to give advice on the preparation of the thesis, commenting on one full draft of the thesis and advising the student if the standard of English is inadequate. However, the supervisor is not expected to undertake substantial editing or revision of a draft thesis. Nor is the supervisor expected to read numerous drafts of each chapter of the thesis. Ultimately, the student is responsible for their work and the supervisor's responsibility is to give guidance.

♦ to give advice on the preparation for any oral examination, conducting a mock viva voce if the student requests this.

Arrangements for principal and secondary supervision

The Principal or Co-Supervisor is responsible for:

♦ assisting the student in the research process including the formulation of the research design, offering ideas, and generally providing guidance, encouragement and stimulation;

♦ providing guidance and advice on the progress of research, submission of thesis, publication of results and, where appropriate, career development;

♦ encouraging the student to participate in the planning of work, to question advice and to reach independent decisions (supervisors will defer to the student’s decision wherever practicable);

♦ arranging instruction in research methods appropriate to the student’s field of study;

♦ advising the student on how to keep abreast of recent developments in the subject;

♦ encouraging the student to acquire and improve appropriate personal skills, including oral and written communication, decision-making, team working, IT, numeracy and organisational and management skills beyond those acquired through prior research training;

♦ ensuring that the student is aware of, and complies with, the School’s Code of Practice on Research Ethics;

♦ ensuring that the student is aware of – and attends when appropriate – courses; relevant training and facilities available to students in the School and faculty; seminars; conferences; and summer schools.

The Principal or Co-Supervisor will:

♦ meet students regularly. The timing and frequency of meetings is a matter for negotiation between the student and the Supervisor(s). However, students should be able to expect regular formal meetings to review progress and set work to take place according to the arrangements set out by the School unless both parties agree to alternative arrangements. The length of meetings will vary according to the work



being carried out but students should be able to expect supervisors to set aside approximately an hour for the meeting.

♦ be the main point of contact within the School for external enquiries about a student’s work and bona fides;

♦ return written work with comments promptly, provided the work is legible and delivered on time. Comments, which will normally be available in advance of the next meeting of student and supervisor, will provide both intellectual guidance and constructive comments on technical details and on the writing style for written work, including the formal draft of a thesis.

♦ ensure that a student is made aware at the earliest possible stage if their progress is unsatisfactory;

♦ complete annual Faculty student progress reports to the Graduate Dean of the Faculty; and where appropriate, funding-body student progress reports. The student is allowed to see and to comment on all such progress reports;

♦ advise on the examination procedures for the research degree including the provision of assistance on planning for the viva voce examination before it takes place; discussion with the student over the choice of internal and external examiners and suggest the names of possible suitable examiners to the Head of School; and the provision of advice to the student in writing if, in the Supervisor’s view, the student’s thesis is not ready for submission;

♦ be prepared to attend the student’s viva voce examination, at the request of either the student, the examiners, or the PGR Director, or to see the student’s examiners if asked by the examiners to do so, and;

♦ acknowledge the contribution of the student in any published material or presentation which involves the student’s work.

The Second Supervisor will:

♦ participate in annual progress meetings and contribute to the completion of annual student progress report forms;

♦ read work as appropriate;

♦ assume responsibility as supervisor if the principal supervisor is absent;

♦ be a potential alternative supervisor.

♦ Please note that the precise allocation of responsibilities between supervisors and research students can be negotiated between all parties to reflect the particular expertise and experience of the two supervisors, and the particular needs of the research student at various stages in their project.

Publishing with supervisor/s



Where appropriate – and on the advice of the supervisors - the publication of research conducted for the thesis, prior to its completion and examination, is strongly encouraged. While such publications are usually solely authored by the student themselves, on occasion it may be appropriate for the student to co-author them with one or more of their supervisors. Students are encouraged to be pro-active in suggesting topics for collaboration to their supervisors, though supervisors may also raise such possibilities with their students. Where collaboration takes place, supervisors will be expected to adhere to the ethical standards typical of most of the social sciences and wider humanities disciplines.



3

Research Training

3.1. Research methods requirements

3.2. Research methods schedule

3.3. Research misconduct and plagiarism

3.4. Skills training and review (STaR)

3.5. Personal and Professional Development



RESEARCH TRAINING

Unless they already have a research-training Masters-level qualification (or equivalent), all social science research postgraduate students normally participate in the formal research training provided by the School or Faculty. This includes not only ESRC 1+3 funded students but also students funded by other bodies or by themselves. Provided no exemptions for approved prior learning have been given, if 120 credit points are completed then this will lead to the award of a Diploma in Social Science Research Methods.

Research methods requirements

All doctoral students, full-time and part-time, will normally be required to take a 60-120 credit programme of research training courses during their PhD programme. Students may be exempted from parts of the programme if there is clear evidence that they have covered the same ground elsewhere. Requests for exemption should be sent to the PGR Director with evidence of approved prior learning and the completed form which is available via the FSSL website and on Blackboard under ‘Progress Forms’.

Research methods schedule

Students may be able to take all of this training in their first year (if full-time) or over the first two years (if part-time) although the distribution of training through the doctoral programme will be adapted to your specific needs and negotiated on an individual basis. Students will normally be required to complete this programme of research training prior to their Progression Review. Students will be assessed and required to attain a mark of 50 or above. Further postgraduate training, including career development and employment-related skills, will be offered to students following their progression, during their second and third years.

The programme of research training comprises two elements: social science generic training, and subject-specific training.

Three core units to be taken in Teaching Block 1 (mandatory for all PGR students):

♦ Philosophy and research design in the social sciences (this unit will look at the principles and at the practice of comparative research design. It will introduce students to important theoretical debates about research design).

♦ Introduction to qualitative research methods in the social sciences (this unit offers graduate level grounding in the rationale, strengths and limitations of a selection of key qualitative research methods most commonly utilised in contemporary social research).

♦ Introduction to quantitative research methods in the social sciences (this unit offers an introduction to using quantitative methods in social research; the problems and issues surrounding their use; research design for quantitative research and basic analysis techniques for quantitative data).

In addition, and on the advice of their supervisors, students may also choose up to three other 20 credit units from the full optional list of postgraduate taught units running in SPAIS



during Teaching Block 2. Full details of all of these taught units are available on request. if 120 credit points are completed then this will lead to the award of a Diploma in Social Science Research Methods.

It is important to ensure that you consult the current MSc student handbook for details of taught course requirements and assessment information. You will also be added to the spais-msc email list to be kept up to date on matters relating to these courses. Any questions about the units you are taking should be directed to [email protected]

Research Misconduct and Plagiarism

Students should familiarise themselves with the University's Regulations on Research Misconduct. Plagiarism, or the unacknowledged use of another person's or one’s own work, is a serious form of academic misconduct, and students should understand the consequences of plagiarism, as set out in the University’s Examination Regulations. Details of the University’s Examination Regulations, Student Discipline Regulations, Regulations on Research Practice and Regulations on Research Misconduct can be accessed at: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/secretary/studentrulesregs/

Skills Training and Review (STaR)

STaR is an online system administered by the Bristol Doctoral College designed to bring together all aspects of postgraduate research, development, and support.

Find out more about the benefits of using STaR at: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/doctoral-college/star/

♦ Record meetings between you and your supervisor, setting and managing research objectives as you progress;

♦ Keep or share documents and notes on any aspect of your research;

♦ Access your own public space on Pure to upload publications and develop an online profile;

♦ Explore skills training and researcher development opportunities, planning and tracking your own development needs;

♦ Complete the forms and processes required for Annual Progress Monitoring (APM), in accordance with Faculty guidance.

It is mandatory to complete the APM each year via this online tool so we do advise you to familiarise yourself with STaR and how it can work for you and read through the training notes available on the website.

Personal and Professional Development

All UK Research Councils including the ESRC are committed to the principle that doctoral students should acquire training of a kind to ensure that they are well qualified in the wider labour market. This entails a recognition that highly specialist research skills need to be complemented with a programme of training in personal and career development. You are advised to attend a number of workshops during your period of study.



See also the Personal and Professional Development Policy for Research Students in Annex 10 of the University’s Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes.

The Bristol Doctoral College (BDC) oversees the University’s central Personal and Professional Development (PPD) programme for postgraduate research students. This includes over 160 interactive workshops, seminars and resources covering everything from ‘Planning and Managing your PhD’ and ‘Developing a social media strategy’.

The full central PPD programme is available on the BDC website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/doctoral-college/ppd/

Relevant training is also provided by several services such as the Careers Service (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/careers/), Students Union and Staff Development (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/staffdevelopment/academic/pgr/), Skills Development and Training (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/students/study/skills-development/) and also through online sources. As a Bristol student, you benefit from access to research and professional skills training and resources from across the GW4 (Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, and Exeter). For example, check out the GW4 Guide to Research Collaboration (http://gw4.ac.uk/guidetoresearchcollaboration/)

Any training opportunities across the South West Doctorial Training Partnership (SWDTP), will be advertised on the SWDTP (http://www.swdtp.ac.uk/) and National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) (www.ncrm.ac.uk/training).

The School holds an annual training day for all PGR students. Please contact the PGR director or the PGR reps if there are any specific areas you would like extra training on.



4

Progress & Monitoring 4.1. Attendance monitoring

4.2. Attendance requirements

4.3. Tier 4 visa holding students – engagement monitoring and responsibilities

4.4. Annual registration

4.5. Faculty annual progress reports

4.6. Progression review panel

4.7. Enhanced academic support

4.8. Periods of study

4.9. Suspension of studies

4.10. Extension of submission date



PROGRESS AND MONITORING

Attendance monitoring

All students are required to maintain a good level of attendance and remain engaged with their programme of study. In accordance with the Student Agreement, (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/secretary/studentrulesregs/agreement.html) you sign up to:

♦ attend formal teaching and learning events (lectures, seminars, tutorials, lab classes, etc.), associated with your programme of study, subject to absence for medical or other agreed reasons;

♦ complete and submit by the required deadlines any work to be assessed as part of your programme of study, including any assignments, laboratory or project work related to individual units (unless extenuating circumstances for which you have provided evidence are agreed by the relevant tutor(s));

♦ pursue your studies diligently, contributing effectively to the programme on which you are registered

Attendance requirements

Those students who fail to maintain appropriate attendance (or regular email contact with their supervisor/s when on fieldwork) will be referred by the School to the Faculty. On the basis of the information received, the Faculty may decide to issue a warning to the student and/or to make changes to their student status (e.g. deem them withdrawn or suspended).

Tier 4 visa holding students – engagement monitoring and responsibilities

Our responsibilities: The University has a number of legal obligations when sponsoring a student under Tier 4 of the Points Based system. Firstly, we are required to ensure you are engaged with your studies. We will use information about your attendance to monitor this, which will be collected by your School. This will be done on a monthly basis and will consider information about your lecture, seminar or tutorial attendance or submission of work.

In case of SPAIS PGR students the School requires monthly proof of face to face contact with your supervisor(s) (see section 2.2).

We anticipate that most of the information that we use will relate to the usual attendance requirements of your course. If we have any concerns about your level of engagement with your studies, we will ask you to meet with the Faculty Education Manager (or equivalent) to discuss any problems you may be having. This process is designed to be supportive to you and your studies. In many cases, students’ lack of attendance can be due other problems e.g. health problems. We will assist you in obtaining the relevant support as necessary. If our concerns are not addressed, or you do not meet with us when requested, there may be implications for your visa status. In a very extreme situation, we may have to withdraw sponsorship if we cannot satisfy ourselves that you are appropriately engaged with your study.

Secondly, we are required to report some changes in your circumstances to the UKVI. This includes students who have opted to transfer to another course, students who withdraw from their course or who are suspended and students who finish their studies earlier or



later than expected. In most cases, this will not have any significant effect on your visa. If your visa is affected, International Student Advisers (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/directory/visas/contacts/) are available to support you. Please ensure you take advice from the International Student Advisers, if you are considering any changes to your course.

Finally, we are required to maintain up to date records of your contact details, including term time address and telephone numbers.

Our aims are:

♦ To monitor engagement, as evidenced by attendance, in a way which is supportive of students’ welfare and values early intervention

♦ As far as possible, to monitor engagement with students’ programmes of study rather than through separate administrative requirements.

Your responsibilities: It is your responsibility to;

♦ Engage with your course appropriately, keeping your School informed of any absences or issues that are affecting your studies.

♦ Check your emails regularly and respond promptly to communications from University staff.

♦ Keep your contact details up to date via www.bris.ac.uk/studentinfo.

♦ To discuss course changes with your Faculty (or equivalent) and seek advice from the International Student Advisers where necessary.

We hope that this explanation is helpful and reassures you that the University is monitoring student engagement in ways which are supportive of all students and appropriate for individual programmes of study. We have attempted to minimise inconvenience as far as we can whilst meeting the UKVI requirements.

Annual registration

All full-time and part-time students must register at the beginning of each session (normally in September) during their studies, via an online system (www.bris.ac.uk/studentinfo). Registration is an important requirement for all continuing research students, including students funded by an external sponsor, e.g. ESRC. Students have submitted their thesis are not required to register.

Faculty Annual Progress Monitoring (APM) reports

Annual Progress Monitoring (APM) is a requirement for all postgraduate research students at the University of Bristol. In the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, all ESRC funded students will complete this monitoring bi-annually. All other PhD students will complete this process annually.

These reports record training undertaken, conferences attended, work completed, an assessment by the supervisors of the quality of work and the rate of progress, a work plan for the next year, and comments by the student. These reports are countersigned by students, supervisors and the PGR Director before being sent on to the Graduate Dean.



Feedback from progress monitoring reports may make particular recommendations relating to your progress, which you will be expected to address as a condition of continuing registration. If your progress is considered a matter of concern, reference may be made to the Enhanced Academic Support Process, described in the University Regulations and Code of Practice (Section 6.3).

The forms and processes required for Annual Progress Monitoring are provided via STaR (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/doctoral-college/star/).

Progression Review Panel

Research students commencing after January 2013, are registered directly to the PhD programme. Prior this, all students who wished to register for a PhD were initially registered to an MPhil and required to upgrade (see the FSSL Postgraduate Handbook for details). Students who are registered directly onto the PhD programme will be required to go through a Progression Review Panel which replaces the previous upgrade procedure.

The Progression Review Panel should take place within 12–18 months of registration (24-36 months for part time students). This is one of the ways that we review your progress on the PhD programme. If your progress is not satisfactory the Enhanced Academic Support Process, described in the University Regulations and Code of Practice (Section 6) will be followed. If your progress and the quality of your work do not improve, ultimately your registration may be transferred to the MPhil programme or your registration may be terminated (Annex 3 of the Code of Practice). Please note that this does not replace the Faculty Annual Progress Monitoring requirement.

a. The timing of the Progression Review Panel

The Faculty specifies a period of 12-18 months after registration in which students can apply for a Progression Review Panel (24-36 months for part-time students).

b. Preparing the Progression Review Panel materials

The length of the report should be between 10,000-15,000 words (excluding research governance forms, bibliography and any appendices). Where longer reports are submitted only 15000 words maximum may be read by the assessors.

Normally students will submit three documents together with the required research governance forms (available in the “Research governance & ethics” folder in the Blackboard site). Together these comprise the progression review report

♦ Research proposal (est. 5000-10,000 words)

♦ A sample chapter, or part thereof. (est. 5000-10,000 words)

♦ A working bibliography (no word limit)

♦ Research governance documents (ethics form, 200-300 word research summary, risk assessment form, data protection form and research registration checklist)

To meet Faculty requirements, the progression review report will normally include the following, which students may want to use as a checklist:



♦ An outline description of the research problem, its background and its relationship to existing scholarship/literature, with brief definitions and discussion of central concepts.

♦ A statement of the research aims, questions or hypotheses and an indication of the sort of argument(s) that will be made and the sort of evidence that will be used to reach any conclusions.

♦ A brief statement of the way in which the study will use or relate to theory and the theoretical/conceptual framework(s) which will be used for the study.

♦ An outline of the proposed methods of data collection and analysis with any key methodological issues, (such as ethical or access) highlighted and with references on methods.

♦ An abstract of the thesis and chapter plan. This is to show where the pieces of work submitted (see below) fit into the structure of the thesis as a whole.

♦ A timetable of the thesis as a whole. This should show the student’s work plan for the remaining period of study.

♦ A working bibliography to show the kind of sources being used.

Beyond this, the content and form of the progression review report is a matter for students and supervisors. Bear in mind that what is appropriate for one candidate’s thesis may not be appropriate for another’s. While there is no pro-forma for the research proposal, past progression review/upgrade materials may be consulted as a guide (available in the archive folder in the Blackboard site).

Research governance documents should be completed as part of the Progression Review report and submitted to the Ethics Committee via email. Please discuss the ethical implications of your research with your supervisors before the Progression Review Panel meeting.

Students must have completed at least 60 credits of core research training modules (at a mark of 50 or above), other than where exemptions have been agreed, before submitting their Progression Review materials.

c. The Progression Review Panel

Supervisors, in consultation with the student, choose two appropriate assessors, normally from among School staff, get the agreement of the assessors to participate in the panel, and notify the PGR Director and the PGR Student Administrator. They will read your submission and meet with you to ask a series of questions in relation to your thesis and doctoral plans. The questions will ascertain the project viability, whether you have the knowledge and skills to complete the work and whether any additional support will be needed.

Students submit their progression review materials to all panel members. Normally, paper copies of the report will need to be produced and submitted to the assessors. An electronic version of the report should be sent to the PGR Student Administrator.



d. The Progression Review Panel meeting

The meeting should normally occur no later than one month after the report has been submitted, and at least two weeks’ notice should be given of this meeting. The Progression Review Panel meeting resembles a viva voce and will usually last for about one hour. Supervisors can attend the meeting solely as observers. The staff member chairing the committee meeting will ensure orderly questioning and that you get the opportunity to show your strengths as well as any weaknesses.

The recommendation of the Progression Review Panel may be communicated verbally to the student at the earliest possible opportunity, but a report in writing will be also supplied, providing a clear and detailed statement of the reactions of those present to the work and performance of the student.

It is the responsibility of the progression review assessors to write the progression review report. The recommendations will be recorded formally on official Faculty forms (available on the Faculty website at: www.bris.ac.uk/fssl/current-students/forms/index.html and submitted to the Faculty. Copies will also be given to the student and to the supervisors. The Faculty Office will write to students confirming the outcome of the Progression Review Panel Meeting

and any further steps as necessary.

e. Requirements for continued registration

The Progression Review Panel will consider the extent to which:

♦ the student has a clearly defined research question which is located within and contributes to identified existing bodies of work;

♦ the data can be collected with the resources available to address the question identified;

♦ it is clear how the data will be analysed;

♦ there is a coherent conceptual framework and it is clear whether theory is being used to ‘illuminate’ or theory is being tested/challenged;

♦ the student has acquired the skills to undertake the research and has the ability to write up the thesis to the standards required.

♦ the student has completed and passed approved research methods units

♦ the student has addressed potential ethical issues

♦ the research can be completed in the time frame allowed

f. Progression Review Panel recommendations

On the basis of the submission and meeting, the panel may make one of the following recommendations:

At the first attempt:



♦ that the candidate continue on a PhD registration;

♦ that the candidate continue on a PhD registration, subject to modifications of the progression materials;

♦ that the candidate be allowed one resubmission of revised materials to the same panel, within a three months of their first review panel date and that the student will be placed on the enhanced academic support process, described in the University Regulations and Code of Practice (Section 6.3). The Progression resubmission will be managed within this procedure.

At the second attempt:

♦ that the candidate continue on a PhD registration;

♦ that the candidate continue on a PhD registration, subject to modifications of the progression materials;

♦ that the candidate continue to work through the procedure for dealing with unsatisfactory academic progress as detailed in Section 6.3 and Annex 3 of the University Regulations and Code of Practice.

Enhanced Academic Support

Where there are concerns that are affecting a research student’s academic progress, enhanced academic support within the school will be provided as outlined in Section 6.3 of the University Regulations and Code of Practice. Such support is tailored to the individual and should take into account any extenuating circumstances the student is experiencing. It may be appropriate to consider options such as suspension or part-time working.

If progress is still not satisfactory at the end of the period of enhanced academic support, the unsatisfactory academic progress procedure as set out in Annex 3 of the University Regulations and Code of Practice will be initiated.

Periods of study

The minimum period of study is the period during which a candidate must be registered and during which fees must be paid. This shall be not less than one year full-time for an MPhil and not less than three years of full-time study for a PhD. For part-time students the minimum period will be two years for an MPhil and six years for a PhD. The maximum period of study (i.e. the maximum period within which you are eligible to submit your thesis) is two years full-time for an MPhil and four years full-time for a PhD. For part-time students the maximum period will be three years from the date of initial registration for an MPhil and seven years for a PhD. For further details see the Code of Practice at: http://www.bris.ac.uk/esu/pg/cop-research-degrees.html

Suspension of studies

Candidates within their period of study may, in exceptional circumstances, be granted permission, for good academic or personal reasons, to suspend their studies for a stated period. This means that the date of submission is moved forward by the stated time period and the payment of fees is frozen.



If you are considering suspending your study for any reason you should first discuss the situation with your Supervisor(s). The appropriate form is available from your School Postgraduate Administrator upon request. Once completed this form is must be submitted to the Postgraduate Student Administrator along with any supporting evidence and a supervisor(s) letter of support. It is then signed by the supervisor(s) before being approved by the Head of School or PGR Director, the International Office (if appropriate) and the Graduate Dean.

Please make sure that all dates are checked/completed and that details of any previous suspensions/extensions are correct.

All Tier 4 visa-holding students that are considering suspending studies, or making some other change to their registration status at the University, must seek the advice of the Visa Advice Team, before making a final decision as it is likely that this change will affect their visa status.

The Graduate Dean will normally approve suspensions for good reason up to a maximum period of 12 months. Any suspensions of more than 12 months will be considered at the University level. Suspensions can only be backdated by up to one month. Retrospective suspensions of study will not normally be permitted so you will need to keep your School/supervisor(s) informed of any interruptions to your study.

ESRC-funded students should also note that they must gain approval for the suspension from the ESRC as well as the University. This approval is sought by the Faculty office after the form is submitted by the School. It is sometimes the case that the ESRC will not approve a suspension, even though the University has approved it, so students should check the ESRC’s Postgraduate Funding Guide for initial guidance. In the case of suspensions, stipend payments will also be suspended for the period of suspension of studies. For suspensions approved on medical grounds, it may be possible for the stipend payments to be continued for up to 13 weeks.

Extension of submission date

Only in exceptional circumstances may an application be made, with the support of the supervisor, for an extension to the date by which the thesis must be submitted. Such permission will not normally be given unless the application is made well before the period of study has ended with compelling reasons and the supervisor’s full support.

If you need an extension to your end date, you should discuss this well in advance with your

Supervisor(s) and apply in good time (normally at least three months before the expected

completion for PGR students). Extensions will not be granted retrospectively and must be

approved by the Graduate Dean.

A form must be generated by the Postgraduate Student Administrator for each extension request. Please make sure that all dates are checked/completed and that details of any previous suspensions/extensions are correct.

You must provide a detailed explanation of your circumstances and provide supporting evidence where appropriate. A work plan agreed between the student and the School must be completed and signed by the supervisor(s). The supervisor(s) must also supply a letter of support.



Completed forms should be forwarded to the PGR Student Administrator for signing by the Head of School or PGR Director, and approval by the Graduate Dean. Extensions of study are not backdated

All Tier 4 visa-holding students should ensure that they seek advice from the Visa AdviceTeam, at the time they request the extension.

Note: if you are an ESRC-funded student there may be funding restrictions on extensions and suspensions. Please read the ESRC Funding Guide at: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/skills-and-careers/studentships/esrc-students/ and get in touch with your Supervisor(s) 3 months in advance of any requests.



5

Teaching

5.1. Teaching opportunities

5.2. Teaching options

5.3. Applying to teach

5.4. Teaching training

5.5. Teaching evaluation



TEACHING

Teaching opportunities

Second-year and third-year MPhil and PhD students are often given the opportunity to do some tutorial teaching. This is an important part of making the transition from student to lecturer for those hoping to pursue an academic career. The School cannot guarantee that it will be able to offer teaching to all postgraduate students who apply, but it makes every attempt to allocate teaching widely and fairly amongst the postgraduate community.

Teaching options

Seminar tutors are most frequently required to take first year and, occasionally, second year seminars. Details of the units and their syllabi are available in the undergraduate handbook and on the SPAIS website. We recommend that seminar tutors teach no more than three hours per week and we are unable to allocate an individual tutor any more than five seminar groups per year in total.

Applying to teach

Sometime during the spring the Student Administration Manager will circulate teaching request forms to all MPhil and PhD students. Anyone hoping to teach in the School must have completed the SPAIS Teaching Training programme (see 5.4). Students should consult the list of available units and decide which units would be most appropriate for them to teach. Students must discuss their application with their supervisors, who must approve their application. The Director of Planning and Resources is responsible for teaching allocation in the School and will liaise with supervisors to ensure that the proposed teaching commitments do not impinge upon the student’s academic progress. Students who are on the Enhanced Academic Support process (Section 6.3 of the Code of Practice) or the University’s procedure for dealing with unsatisfactory academic progress (Annex 3 of Code of Practice) will not be considered for teaching until their progress is deemed satisfactory. Once the DPR has decided on teaching allocations, letters of offers of teaching will be sent. Students will be contacted directly by the School Administration Manager to negotiate contracts and timetabling.

Teaching training

SPAIS offers an HPT training programme in TB2. Before being allocated any teaching in the school, PGR students are required successfully to complete this programme.

Anyone hoping to teach within the School is also required to attend the full day ‘Starting to Teach’ programme for postgraduate students. The aim of the programme is to help research staff and postgraduates to acquire the knowledge and skills to establish themselves as confident and enthusiastic teachers who are able to engage, encourage and develop students, using questioning skills and feedback to develop independent critical thinking. Engagement with the programme also ensures schools that their postgraduates and research staff have obtained relevant training in preparation for teaching at the University of Bristol, and attendance at these sessions meets the University's minimum training requirements for teaching assistants. Further details of the programme and enrolment is via the website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/staffdevelopment/academicstaff/learningandteaching/sttpgrs/



In addition, the School runs a half day refresher session at the beginning of each academic year which is mandatory for new and returning Seminar tutors. These meetings cover School regulations and policies relating to course attendance, essay submission, marking and feedback.

Teaching evaluation

All seminar tutors will be observed under SPAIS's Peer Observation scheme. The unit owner may also sit in on tutorials/seminars and offer constructive advice. In addition, all students complete student evaluation questionnaires at the end of the semester. The seminar tutor and the reviewer evaluate the feedback from these questionnaires.



6

Thesis Submission 6.1. Presentation of the thesis

6.2. The examiners

6.3. Appointment of research degree examiners

6.4. Submitting the thesis

6.5 Electronic submission

6.6. Library access

6.7. Mock viva voce

6.8. Viva voce examination

6.9. Supervisor’s presence at oral examinations

6.10 Preparation for re-presentation

6.11. Presentation of the successful thesis

6.12. Thesis deposit agreement

6.13. Graduation ceremony

6.14. Appeals

6.15. Hilarty Hartley PhD thesis prize



THESIS SUBMISSION AND EXAMINATION GUIDELINES

This section of the handbook is a summary of the Postgraduate Examination Office’s statement on good practice for students registered for Masters and doctoral degrees by research, the full text of which can be found at the following URL:

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/secretary/studentrulesregs/examregs.html

A flowchart summarising the submission process is also available on Blackboard.

Presentation of the thesis

The Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes sets out the generic rules relating to the presentation of University of Bristol theses, for example details of the format you are required to follow (e.g. title page, list of contents), the type of binding and the procedures for submitting the thesis. You should consult the latest versions of relevant documents, including University Ordinances and Regulations. As they are frequently revised we do not include them in this handbook, but they are available on here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/pg/cop-research-degrees.html

A useful summary of relevant information as well as all upcoming exam board dates is also provided by the Examinations Office at

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/directory/exams/research-degree/

The examiners

Your work will need to satisfy two examiners that it reaches the required standard for MPhil or PhD. Normally these will be one internal and one external examiner (one from within the University, usually within the School but not your supervisor; the other from another institution), but at least one external examiner will always be appointed. These examiners will be experienced academics who can compare your work to that of other candidates they have supervised and examined, and they are chosen because of their expertise in your area of work. You should be able to discuss with your supervisors possible names for examiners. Formal approval for examiners is made by the Head of School and the Graduate Dean of the Faculty upon receipt of the appropriate form. Neither the internal nor the external examiner should be asked to comment on drafts of the student's work prior to the first examination of the thesis.

Internal examiners are normally required to act as the examination coordinator and should inform the student, PGR Student Administrator and Postgraduate Examinations Office of the time and venue for the viva voce examination, giving in writing at least seven days notice. Internal Examiners are also required to return the jointly signed Examiners’ Report to the Postgraduate Examinations Office. The external examiner should normally chair the viva voce examination. Candidates may request formal, written feedback regarding their performance at the viva voce from the internal examiner.

Appointment of research degree examiners

The decision of who to have as your examiners is ultimately recommended by your supervisors but it is normal for the student to be party to those discussions. An



"Appointment of research degree examiners" form, available on the Exams office webpage http://www.bristol.ac.uk/directory/exams/staff/research-staff-information/ should be completed not less than 28 days prior to the submission of the thesis and sent via the PGR Student Administrator to the Head of School for signature. It is the responsibility of the supervisors to make sure that the form has been submitted and returned to the Postgraduate Examinations Office. As well as informing them of your chosen internal and external examiners, it also alerts them to the impending submission of the thesis

Submitting the thesis

For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), two copies of the thesis (maximum word count of 80,000) in temporary bindings must be submitted (for the MPhil the maximum word count is 30,000). Students must present these two copies of their thesis to the Postgraduate Examinations Office. Check with the Office for their office opening times. You must also make sure that your University contact details are up-to-date. You can do this at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/studentinfo/. One copy in hard bindings will be required for the University after the student has been awarded the PhD.

Electronic Submission

As of January 2015, all PGR thesis are subject to a plagiarism check and students are required to submit an electronic copy of their thesis to Turnitin to enable plagiarism checking to take place. Your hard copies will not be sent to your examiners until the thesis has been cleared for plagiarism. Please ensure that you inform the Postgraduate Student Administrator once you have submitted online.

Full information and guidance on submitting your dissertation is provided on the Faculty website and on Blackboard.

https://www.bris.ac.uk/fssl/current-students/fssl-postgraduates/esubmissionguidance.pdf

Log in to Blackboard (https://www.ole.bris.ac.uk) and a list of organisations in which you are enrolled will appear in a box in the bottom left-hand corner headed “My Organisations”. This should include one involving postgraduate e-submission in SPAIS.

If you cannot see the correct organisation contact the Postgraduate Student

Administrator immediately so that you can be assigned

Please note that this is a separate point to those that you use to submit your research training unit essays. These instructions only apply to your PhD thesis. Do not submit your unit essays to this point; Unit essays are to be submitted to the points set up in the SPAIS MSc Administration Blackboard Course.

In the thesis submissions organisation, you will find

♦ Full Guidance and Policy documents on how to submit your thesis, and how to interpret any Turnitin reports.

♦ Opportunities to submit drafts in advance of the final submission

♦ Final submission point



Please ensure that you spend some time looking at this information, so that you are clear on what you need to do when you submit.

There are plenty of opportunities to submit parts of your thesis throughout your programme so that you can check the Turnitin report yourself. The literature review is a good place to start.

Further information and a flow diagram of the plagiarism checking procedure is outlined in Section 9.2.4 and Annex 8 of the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/pg/cop-research-degrees.html

If you need any help and support, please contact the Postgraduate Student Administrator.

Library access

If library access is needed to prepare for the viva or to work on any corrections before the Exam Board meets this needs to be applied for on an individual basis. Please contact the Postgraduate Student Administrator who will liaise with the Library to request an extension to library access to cover this period.

Mock viva voce

Students are entitled to request a mock viva voce, to take place between submission and the actual viva voce, if they so wish. The candidate’s supervisor(s) will usually conduct this mock viva.

Viva voce examination

In all cases students must undergo a viva voce examination. Any exception requires the approval of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students). Permission can be sought through the Postgraduate Examinations Office. Viva voce examinations to be held away from Bristol must be conducted in an appropriate environment and the permission of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) should be sought in advance of the viva voce examination, again through the Postgraduate Examinations Office. The viva voce examination will usually last between one and two hours. The performance of the candidate in the viva may help a candidate to pass where the written work appears to be of borderline quality. The viva will not put a candidate at risk where the written work is already of a passing standard.

University Regulations regarding the oral exam are found in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees available online here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/pg/cop-research-degrees.html.

The University also has a 'Guidance for Internal Examiners' which is linked to via the Examination Office’s webpages here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/directory/exams/staff/research-staff-information/

Supervisor’s presence at oral examinations

Where it appears desirable to the examiners, and only with the agreement of the student and the Head of School, the examiners should arrange for the attendance at the viva voce



examination of the student’s supervisor(s), or another observer should the student request this. Supervisors or observers may not contribute to the discussion.

Preparation for re-presentation

If, after the viva, the candidate is required to re-present their thesis, substantial re-writing may be required depending on the guidance provided by the examiners. As soon as possible following a referral for re-presentation, the student should meet their supervisors to decide on a realistic programme of action.

Presentation of the successful thesis

Following a successful viva, at which the examiners have recommended that the thesis be awarded, candidates must submit to the Postgraduate Examinations Office a hardbound copy of their thesis together with a completed author's declaration form, within 28 days of the date of publication of the pass list. Within 28 days of publication of the pass list, students must also provide a good quality copy of the title page and abstract for inclusion in the Aslib Index to Theses with Abstracts; additional good quality copies of their title page, abstracts and contents pages, excluding lists of tables and figures, for British Reports, Translations and Theses.

Thesis deposit agreement

When you come to submit your hard bound thesis you must also complete a Thesis Deposit Agreement. You can find the form on the Postgraduate Exams Office webpage: http://www.bris.ac.uk/exams/forms-notes/forms/thesis-deposit-agreement.pdf

Graduation ceremony

For more information regarding the Graduation ceremony please check the Graduation webpages http://www.bristol.ac.uk/graduation/

Appeals

The procedure governing examination appeals is set out in the Examination Regulations. Candidates should note that there is a 21-day time limit for an appeal, which runs from the date of publication of the result by the Board of Examiners. No degree may be conferred while an appeal is outstanding.

Hilary Hartley PhD thesis prize

In memory of former PhD student Hilary Hartley, the School has created an annual prize of £100 for the best PhD thesis. The prize will be awarded each summer following consultation by the PGR Director with internal examiners and supervisors, who will review the external examiner reports of all students who have submitted their PhD in the past academic year and were successfully awarded the PhD.



7

Information for leavers

7.1. Library and access to electronic journals

7.2. Applying for honorary research associate status

7.3. Email

7.4. Careers service

7.5. Tier 4 doctorate extension scheme

7.6. Academic transcripts:

7.7. Alumni office



INFORMATION FOR LEAVERS

Library and access to electronic journals

All Alumni can apply to use the Library for reading and reference free of charge. You can also borrow books on payment of an annual subscription fee. To apply and for further information please contact the University Library. Tel: +44 (0)117 928 8003, email: [email protected].

Graduates can continue to access the library’s electronic resources until their email login is deactivated. This is because the cost of the licences to the university are based on staff & student numbers – and cannot be extended to cover external people.

Applying for Honorary Research Associate Status

PhD graduates of SPAIS are able to apply for 12 month Honorary Researcher Associate status in SPAIS following completion of their PhD studies. This would allow access to their email, the library and electronic resources for this period, but not to the PhD office space. The initial application can be made as soon as the thesis passes (including approval of any corrections) and must be made no later than one year after graduation. Extension for a second year requires a fresh application which should include a review of the previous year’s research. The maximum period overall is two years. The decision will be made by the Head of School in consultation with the School Research Director and School Manager. The form is available on Blackboard or can be requested from the School Manager or Postgraduate Student Administrator.

Email

For information about your University email account please see the information on the IT Services webpage here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/it-services/advice/iam/leaver-info-student.html

Careers Service

You can register with Bristol’s Careers Service for free up to three years after you graduate. http://www.bris.ac.uk/careers/graduates.asp

Tier 4 Doctorate Extension Scheme

The Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES) gives students who have almost finished their PhD an additional 12 months of Tier 4 immigration permission in which to remain in the UK to look for work.

If you have already completed your PhD, you will not be eligible for the scheme.

Please see the International Student Visa Advice and Compliance webpages for more details. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/directory/visas/after-study/

Academic transcripts:

Transcripts and official letters of certification are available to order via the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law Online Shop. http://shop.bris.ac.uk/



The University cannot accept responsibility for transcripts that are lost in the post as we have no control over item(s) once they have left the University. Please ensure you provide a full and safe postal address your delivery of your transcripts.

Please note it is not possible to order or apply for a transcript by email or telephone.

Alumni Office

More information on what benefits Alumni are entitled to can be found on the webpages here http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alumni/.



8

Support

8.1. Academic transcripts & official documents/letters 8.2. Accommodation office 8.3. Bristol Doctoral College (BDC) 8.4. Careers advisory service 8.5. Centre of English language and foundation studies 8.6. Disability services 8.7. Health and wellbeing 8.8. Information Technology 8.9 Interntional student visa advice and compliance 8.10. Just Ask Centre (UBU advice and representation) 8.11. Multifaith chaplaincy 8.12. School societies 8.13. Security services 8.14. Staff counselling service – acceptable workplace behaviour 8.15. Student counselling service 8.16. Student funding office 8.17. Student health service 8.18. University day nursery 8.19. University of Bristol union 8.20 The network of support for postgraduate students



SUPPORT FACILITIES

We hope that you will not have any problems during your time at the University. However, if you do please remember that there are a number of sources of help and support available to you. If you are experiencing difficulties, don't suffer in silence. Whether these difficulties are academic or personal, do talk to your supervisors or the PGR Director. If they are unable to help directly, they will try to direct you to someone who can.

Academic Transcripts & Official Documents/Letters

Requests for official University documents including certification letter, bank letter, and certification of full time study must be submitted to the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law Online Shop via the link below:

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/fssl/official-documents.html

Accommodation office

The Hawthorns, Woodland Road Bristol Telephone: 0117 95 45740 Email: [email protected] Website: www.bris.ac.uk/accom/ See website for opening times

The Accommodation Office can help with everything to do with housing. They can help you find a place to live in University Allocated Accommodation if there are any vacancies or with a private landlord. They maintain a property search and bulletin board on the website advertising empty properties or rooms in shared houses. Staff can check housing tenancies before you sign and offer information and advice on all housing problems. See the website for further details.

Bristol Doctoral College (BDC)

Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/doctoral-college/ The Bristol Doctoral College (BDC) provides a hub of information and guidance for all postgraduate research students and their supervisors, and supports the research community through a wide range of collaborative events, interactive workshops and engagement opportunities specifically designed for doctoral researchers.

Careers advisory service

5 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol Telephone: 0117 92 88221 Email: [email protected] Website: www.bristol.ac.uk/careers/ See website for opening times.

The Careers Service offers:

♦ Drop-in discussions with a careers adviser (10-4 most days during term, 2-4 pm vacations)



♦ Longer discussions with a postgraduate careers adviser

♦ Workshops to develop teamwork, leadership, presentation skills and all those other skills employers want

♦ Help with postgraduate CVs/ applications and interview skills

♦ Information on hundreds of careers and links to the UK GRAD programme, including the 'Careers in Focus' seminars

♦ Jobs - part-time as well as permanent (and a jobs by email service)

♦ Contact Scheme - network with University of Bristol graduates

♦ Insight courses and employer presentations

The Careers Service is a resource available to you during your time at University of Bristol. They can provide advice on CV content and structure and on how to get work placements. The Careers Service run various workshops during the year and secure a small number of work placement opportunities with local council offices, government offices or charities in the Bristol area. All Careers Service events and relevant work placement opportunities will be advertised on the School notice boards and/or via email.

Centre of English language and foundation studies

Richmond Building, 105 Queens Road, Bristol Telephone: 0117 33 8552 Email: [email protected]

CELFS offer a range of courses and programmes to help students at all levels develop their academic language and literacy. Research, English and Academic Literacy (REAL) units are available for Home, European and International postgraduate research students http://www.bristol.ac.uk/english-language/study/current-students/research/

The Language Centre also has a self-access facility (SAF) available to all students at the University of Bristol. The SAF contains multi-media and audio-visual facilities and a good stock of paper based self-access language learning materials in English and many other languages."

Disability services

Lower Ground Floor, Hampton House, Cotham Hill, Bristol Telephone: (0117) 331 0444. Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/disability-services/ Information for international students: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/disability-services/prospective/international.html

The University seeks to ensure that disabled students’ participation in both the academic and social life of the University is as full and successful as that of any other student. Disability Services works closely with academic Schools and other support services to enable them to provide appropriate and accessible support to disabled students. It



provides advice and information to disabled students, University staff, outside callers and other universities and services on issues about disabled students and support services. Disability Services are the first point of contact for most prospective deaf and disabled students. This includes deaf students, visually impaired students, dyslexic students, students who have used or do use mental health services, and students with unseen impairments such as epilepsy. Disability Services works closely with academic departments and other support services to enable them to provide appropriate and accessible support to disabled students.

Health and Wellbeing

Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/

Being at University can be exciting but there may be times when you struggle with the demands of studying or life in general. It can be difficult being away from your home, family and friends, but at Bristol, you are not on your own and we are here to help. Please see the website for links to all support services.

Information Technology

♦ Home page: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/it-services/

♦ Our Service Catalogue outlines links to services and tools: http://www.bris.ac.uk/it-services/servicecatalogue

♦ New PGR students: http://www.bris.ac.uk/it-services/info/newstaff.html

♦ MS Office 365: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/it-services/applications/collaboration/office

♦ Remote offsite access: http://www.bris.ac.uk/offsite

♦ Service Desk contacts: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/it-services/contacts/

International Student Visa Advice and Compliance

Ground Floor, Senate House, Tyndall Avenue Telephone: 0117 92 88188 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/directory/visas/

For any issues relating to your visa status please contact International Student Visa Advice and Compliance via the contact form on the website or by attending a drop in session. The International Student Advisers are the only people in the University qualified to give immigration advice. They can assist with UK visa renewals. They also give help and support with personal problems, and offer advice on a range of issues, including regulations for working in the UK, driving, council tax and schooling for the children of students.

Just ask centre (UBU advice and representation)

4th Floor, Students’ Union, Richmond Building, Queen’s Road, Bristol Telephone: 0117 95 45800



Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.bristolsu.org.uk/advice-and-support

Just Ask can support and stand up for you at university. They help with academic issues such as appeals, extenuating circumstances or changing course - and for other things can direct you to the best support across the city. They also have help on-line - see the links on their website.

Multifaith chaplaincy

The Grange, 1 Woodland Road, Bristol Telephone: 0117 95 46600 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/chaplaincy/ The University of Bristol Multifaith Chaplaincy seeks to serve students and staff of all faiths and none by:

♦ Providing opportunities to explore spirituality, faith and belief

♦ Offering confidential personal support

♦ Giving religious advice and information

♦ Supporting the University as an institution

♦ Supporting local faith communities in their work with, and for, students and staff of the University.

School societies

For details of all student societies, see the Students’ Union website: http://www.ubu.org.uk/societies.

Security services

Royal Fort Lodge, Tyndall Avenue Telephone: 0117 33 11190 Emergency only: 0117 33 112233

The University’s security staff are available 24 hours a day in an emergency. If you see anything that makes you suspicious or need help, please telephone as above.

Staff counselling service – Acceptable workplace behaviour

8 Osborne Villas, Bristol Telephone: 0117 93 00261/0117 95 45704 (confidential 24 hour answer machine service) Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/staffcounselling/ http://www.bristol.ac.uk/equalityanddiversity/acceptablebehaviour/abstaff_html



To experience harassment can be both stressful and embarrassing. The University aims to make every effort to provide a working environment for both staff and students that is free from harassment and intimidation. There are clear policies and procedures set down for dealing with unacceptable workplace behaviour. Full details are available on the website above. There are a number of trained Acceptable Workplace Behaviour Advisers to whom you may talk in complete confidence and in the knowledge that no action will be taken without your clear consent.

Student counselling service

3rd Floor, Hampton House, St. Michael’s Hill, Bristol Telephone: 0117 95 46655 Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/student-counselling/ The Student Counselling Service offers a range of interventions to students whose psychological difficulties are standing in the way of them achieving their full potential at university.

We aim to provide an inclusive service where students of any age, class, ethnicity, faith, beliefs, disability, culture, sexual orientation, gender and transgender identity feel welcome. We strive to be non-judgemental, offering a service that meets the individual needs of students. Students must register with the service online.

Student funding office

Ground Floor, Senate House, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol Telephone: 0117 33 17972 Email: [email protected] Website: www.bristol.ac.uk/studentfunding/ Opening hours: Monday-Friday 9 am – 5 pm

Any students experiencing financial difficulties should contact the Student Funding Office for advice and should visit their website at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/studentfunding/ for further information and contact details. The Student Finance Office is open throughout the year to offer advice to students with all aspects of student finance:

♦ Student loan queries

♦ Emergency short term loans

♦ Professional and Career Development Loans (CDL’s must be authorised by the Student Finance Office)

♦ Information on scholarships, bursaries and awards

♦ Advice on budgeting

♦ Financial advice regarding withdrawal, suspension or transfer

Student health service

Hampton House Health Centre, St. Michael’s Hill, Bristol



Telephone: 0117 33 02720 / Home Visit Request: 0117 33 02721 Website: www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/StudentHealthService/ Check website for opening hours

It is very important that you are registered with a local doctor and the Student Health Service would be happy to register you if you live within the practice area. The Student Health Service has a great deal of experience in dealing with a variety of health and related matters affecting students. Whilst confidentiality is always maintained, there is particularly good liaison with academic staff if students experience stress from their studies.

University day nursery

34 St Michael's Park, Bristol Telephone: 0117 92 76077 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/nursery/

Bristol University Day Nursery is a small establishment with 75 children on its roll. It is a non profit making, charity that operates on the University campus. The Nursery is not part of any nursery chain or affiliated with any other nursery. The nursery gives priority to and accommodates children of students and staff between 3 months and 5 years.

University of Bristol Students’ Union

Richmond Building, 105 Queens Road, Bristol Telephone: 0117 33 18600 Website: www.ubu.org.uk

Students have the right to be represented in University government. At University level, this is generally done through the Students' Union. Elections are held for departmental/ school and faculty representatives on the various boards and committees which govern the University's academic business. For each department there will usually be at least two student representatives for each undergraduate year, as well as postgraduate representatives. Elections take place within the first four weeks of the first term of the academic year. The University and Students' Union provide training and support to elected student representatives.

The Union voices your concerns and suggestions on the Faculty Board, to the University, within the Students’ Union and to national and international bodies. You can turn to the Union with queries and problems. Whether you are looking for extra training opportunities or need welfare advice, the sabbatical team can direct you to the appropriate support services. In particular, it has the necessary experience with the Student Grievance Procedure to give you advice and practical help if needed.

The Union operates a mailing list to keep you informed about its services and activities. Visit the web-site for instructions on how to sign up.

The Network of Support for Postgraduate Students

.

Student

Academic Queries Pastoral Issues

Jutta Weldes (PGR director) Unit Owner

Academic Writing Advisor

Harriet Lee (GAM) Amber Cropp (PGR

Admin)

Supervisor

Hall of Residence (if applicable)

• Warden

• Student Support

Administrator

• Senior Resident

Specialist Professional Services Students can refer themselves to these central services themselves, or they can be referred by staff in Schools and Residences.

• Accommodation Office (www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation)

• Careers Service (www.brsitol.ac.uk/careers)

• Disability Services (www.bristol.ac.uk/disability-services)

• International Advice & Support (www.bristol.ac.uk/international-office)

• Just Ask, Students’ Union (www.ubu.org.uk/justask)

• Multifaith Chaplaincy (www.bristol.ac.uk/chaplaincy)

• Student Counselling Service (www.bristol.ac.uk/student-counselling)

• Student Funding Office (www.bristol.ac.uk/fees-funding)

• Students’ Health Service (www.bristol.ac.uk/students)

• Widening Participation Student Support Team (www.bristol.ac.uk/wp)

Vulnerable Students’ Support Service For referral by staff only. This is support for vulnerable students where it is not clear what other service is appropriate. (www.bristol.ac.uk/studentservices/vulnerablestudents)

Student Reps can raise issues for wider discussion at the school level.

Graduate Education Director Faculty Education Manager: Hannah Quinn

9 Appendix A: Map and Teaching Rooms

9.1. Rooms in 4 Priory Road



9.4. Rooms in the Social Sciences block:

9.5. Map of Precinct



Appendix A: Map and Teaching rooms

Teaching mostly takes place either in the seminar rooms at 4 Priory Road, 10 Priory Road,

11 Priory Road, the Social Sciences Block (8 Woodland Road) or the Arts Lecture Rooms.

See the map below for other useful locations.

Rooms in 4 Priory Road

♦ B15, B16 - basement

♦ G.06, G.10 etc. – ground floor (entrance level)

♦ M.01 – mezzanine floor

♦ 1.04, 1.12 – 1st floor offices


♦ LG04 - basement


♦ G1, G2 etc. – ground floor (entrance level)

♦ LG1, LG2 etc. – lower ground floor (downstairs from the main entrance)

♦ 1.1, 1.2 etc. – 1st floor offices

♦ 2.1, 2.2 etc. – 2nd floor offices

Rooms in the Social Sciences Block:

♦ 2D1 – Block D, Level 2, room 1

♦ 1F12 – Block F, Level 1, room 12 etc.



Map of precinct

Arts and Social Sciences Library (40)

Arts Lecture Rooms (63 & 66)

Social Sciences Block Priory Road (68)

10 Priory Road (73) 11 Priory Road (72)

3 Priory Road (51) 4 Priory Road (50)

Senate House (43)

Chemistry Lecture Theatre (12)

Wills Memorial Building (26)

School of Education (1)

School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies 11 Priory Road Bristol BS8 1TU Tel: +44 (0)117 331 7572

bristol.ac.uk/spais